Segun Akanni, Toronto, Canada 
A pro Yoruba self –determination organisation, the Oodua Renaissance Group (ORG), has cautioned the Northern youths to tread softly in its new confrontation with former minister and scion of late Yoruba leader, Femi Fani-Kayode or be ready for its wrath.
The Northern youths, under the aegis of Arewa Youths Forum, AYF, had accused the former Minister of Aviation, Fani-Kayode, of alleging that President Mohammadu Buhari, was being unfair to the South East in his leadership and as such threatened him to desist from such or face the consequences.
According to AYF President, Alhaji Ibrahim Gujungu, Fani-Kayode’s pronouncements on the government of General Buhari was malicious and he urged the security agencies to arrest and task the former minister to present facts concerning the allegations.
But reacting, ORG described the outcry of the AYF as an attempt to oppress, hoodwink and deprive Femi Fani-Kayode from expressing his fundamental right to expression and then warned for caution in the clandestine move by the Arewa group to engage in “a move that would definitely attract dire consequences”
Speaking through its National Chairman, Gboyega Adeoye, ORG described as “an affront of the highest order for the AYF to begin drumming another drum of war on Femi Fani-Kayode, an indigene of Ile-Ife, even when the Yoruba are still smarting from a recent confrontation by the Arewa on the ancient town recently.
Noting that it would not fold arms and allow a repeat of such occurrence on Yorubaland, ORG called for caution and restraint in words and deeds by the AYF, stressing that any attack on the Ile Ife born ex-minister would be adequately resisted.
“We are shocked that while we are still recovering from the deadly fight between the Ile-Ife indigenes and their Hausa community which resulted in many death and several destruction of properties, these so-called Arewa youths have started to lure us into another round of controversy that is capable to lead to a very big crisis if not immediately checked.
“Let it be known that, more than ever before, the Yoruba are aware of a subterranean move by some elements in the country to deliberately hold the tribe down and force her to be perpetual underdog in the current political arrangement. They want to force us to submit that we are slaves in Nigeria while believing that the country is their personal estate where they can ride rod shod on people’s right, eat their cakes and always having another one in return.
“We are saying, without mincing any word that such conception is dead on arrival. We as a people have collectively resolved to hold our destinies in our hands and assert ourselves as equal citizen with unfettered rights to speech, association, etc, as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution.
“It is on this note that we are sending a stern warning to the Arewa Youths Forum and its President, Ibrahim Gujungu, to apply caution and not allow exuberance to blind them to taking some actions they will later regret. We have borne enough and we are saying enough is enough,” Adeoye said.
According to ORG, what Fani Kayode-Kayode said on President Mohammadu Buhari is his personal view and opinion which is expected to be countered with facts and figures by the Arewa youths rather than resulting to threat.
The group noted that the youths are crying even more than the bereaved since the president with his retinue of media aides have not even deemed it fit to counter the claims when their group is already shouting itself hoarse.
Warning that Nigerians are generally going through very harrowing times at the moment, ORG cautioned AYF to measure its utterances and action with extreme caution so that it would not incur the wrath of their counterparts in other parts of the country.
“These boys should be cautioned to tread with utmost caution so that they don’t throw the country into avoidable war through their reckless and arrogant display of exuberance,” Adeoye cautioned.
